English 803 Portfolio Pilot

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English 803 Portfolio Pilot
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Basic Skills Initiative Recommendations

• Clear and consistent course entry and exit
  standards (4b)
• Frequent formative feedback and evaluation (4c)

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CCCC Position Statement 1995Writing Assessment

• Language is always learned and used most
  effectively in environments where it accomplishes
  something the user wants to accomplish for
  particular listeners or readers within that
  environment.
• Because language by definition is social,
  assessment which isolates students and forbids
  discussion and feedback from others conflicts
  with current cognitive and psychological research
  about language use and the benefits of social
  interaction during the writing process.
• Any individuals writing ability is a sum of a
  variety of skills employed in a diversity of
  contexts, and individual ability fluctuates
  unevenly among these varieties.

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CCCC contd

• Writing assessment is useful primarily as a
  means of improving learning and tends to drive
  pedagogy.
• Standardized tests tend to be for
  accountability purposes, and when used to make
  statements about student learning, misrepresent
  disproportionately the skills and abilities of
  students of color.
• The means used to test students writing ability
  shapes what they, too, consider writing to be.

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Why Portfolios?

• Provides comprehensive picture of student in the
  context of the writing process, allowing for a
  diversity of writing genres and styles.
• Allows evaluation to occur within a context of
  dialogue with the student and the larger writing
  community that the student is connected to.
• Promotes student involvement in learning process,
  particularly how they are being assessed.
• Teaches students how to assess their writing.
• Is a more comprehensive strategy that can include
  timed, proctored writing.

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Portfolio Gurus for Developmental Educators and
Transfer

• Linda Adler-Kassner (Developmental)
• William Sweigart (Developmental)
• Pat Belanoff (general use)
• Kathleen Yancey (general use)
• Brian Huot (general use)
• Peter Elbow (general use)

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The Portfolio Pilot Plan

• There are two parts to the portfolio pilot plan
• the mid-semester and
  the end-of-the-semester reads.

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Mid-SemesterWhats Included?

• Any form of reflective writing the student wishes
  to include from any point during the semester.
  This reflective piece could be in the form of a
  letter, an essay, or a journal, to name a few.

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Mid-Semester contd

• A completed essay from the course, representative
  of the students abilities.
• Any materials the student thinks demonstrate the
  process by which the essay was produced
  (invention exercises, freewrites, drafts for the
  essay, and other).

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Mid-Semester Read Process

• A tentative 3-14-08 read is scheduled.
• In addition to the instructor read, each
  portfolio will have one other read.
• This mid-semester read will provide students with
  some sense of where they are at that point, and
  it will provide instructors with an idea of their
  students needs for the remaining half of the
  semester.

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The Mid-Semester Rubric
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The End-of-SemesterWhats Included?

• A tentative 5-16-08 read is scheduled
• Reflective writing student assesses growth as a
  writer, referencing the contents of the
  portfolio. Again, this piece could be an essay
  or a letter letters should be essay length.
• The students strongest essay student
  demonstrates finest achievement during semester.

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End-of-the-Semester contd

• Process materials students provide the
  materials they think demonstrate the process by
  which an essay arrives at its final form. These
  materials may be part of the strongest essay or
  they may derive from another essay assignment.
  If the latter, the student should include among
  the materials the resulting essay.
• Timed, in-class writing student provides a
  timed, proctored writing piece of 45 minutes in
  length addressing whatever topic the instructor
  chooses. Students should receive no outside
  help on this piece of writing, and while they may
  use book dictionaries, the use of electronic
  dictionaries (that can import text) should be
  restricted.

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End-of-the-Semester contd

• Other materials students may elect to provide
  other materials that may support ideas they wish
  to address in their reflective essay.

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The End-of-the-Semester Rubric
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Student Particulars

• Students should submit the mid-semester and
  end-of-semester portfolios in the same two pocket
  folder.
• Students will already have a copy of the
  mid-semester and end-of-semester rubrics.

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In Your Syllabus

• When you prepare your course syllabus, include
• A copy of the portfolio rubric.
• Due dates for the mid-semester and end-of
  semester portfolios.
• A list of the portfolio contents, in order.
• The grade weight" of the portfolio.
• Instructions to save all work (hard and soft
  copies)

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Reflective Writing - Value

• Develops metacognitive thinking
• Helps students identify writing skills and areas
  they need to work on
• Encourages problem-solving in the writing process
• Promotes student ownership of writing
• Facilitates growth
• Students enjoy it

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Reflective Writing - When?

• Students need time to learn how to write
  reflectively
• Can block in time to teach reflective writing
  near the end of the course
• However, it is most effective when used
  throughout the semester... and easier too

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Reflective Writing - Examples

• Can use different ways to teach reflective
  writing throughout semester
• Short process letters associated with
  essays/homework
• In-class reflections after turning in work
• Longer unit reflections two or three times
  during the course
• Mix and match!

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• fin.